Trunk-binder.



W. I. BRAY.

TRUNK BINDER.

APPLICATION FILED APR.16, 1912.

1,081,657, Patented Dec. 16,1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1. I

WITNESSES [NVENTOR y/j%,/WM 4 A lldmeys COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH Cu, WASHINGTON, u. c.

W. I. BRAY.

TRUNK BINDER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 16, 1912.

3.,SHBETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Dec. 16, 1913.

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COLUMBIA Pl.

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WILLIAM. IVY BRAY, or TQNOEAE,.NE VADA,. assrsnon or. 'ro Moses M. coma, or roNorAH, NEVADA;

TRUNK-BINDER.

nearest.

Application filed April 16, 191-2;

Specification of Letters-Patent.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM IVY BRAY, a

citizen of the United States, residing at. Tonopah, in the county of Nye and State of Nevada, have invented certain new and. useful Improvements in Trunk-Binders, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists of means for binding a trunk so as to insure its safety, while in transit, from breaking open, thereby spilling. or losing the contents.

My invention consists broadly in a trunk binder composed of sheet metal links struck up and fastened together to constitute pliable straps or binders in sections, whereby the binder or strap may be folded back from the top of the trunk when it is desired to open the trunk, and means carried by the sections for binding the sections together when the trunk is closed; and my invention consists further of the parts and combination of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved binder or strap with a trunk designated by dotted lines; Fig. 2 is a plan view of one of the links of the strap of binder; Fig. 3 is a top plan View of the link folded; Fig. 4- is an edge view of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a top plan view of one of the bottom division binders; Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 66, Fig. 5; Figs. 7 and. S are respectively front and edge views of fasteners for securing the strap to the trunk; Fig. 9 is a top plan view of one of the division corner plates; Fig. 10 is a top plan view of the locking plates, the lock and one of the division corner plates assembled; Fig. 11 is a side elevation of the lock; Figs. 12 and 13 are respectively top plan and side elevation of the name-plate; and Fig. 14 is a top plan view of the toggle plate; Fig. 15 is a side elevation of the toggle plate and fastener.

I have constructed and arranged my improved trunk strap or binder so that when it is fastened upon a trunk, it is divided into sections: One section consists of the two straps A joined together at the top at their ends by the division corner plate, the other section B similarly joined and the third section C consisting of the two front straps and the middle portion of the top strap, carrying the name plate, so that when the locks are unlocked and the toggle plates thrown, the sections A and B are folded back from the top of the trunk While the section C is folded. over and hangs on the front wall of the trunk.

The body of the straps or binders are made up of a series of plates 1 provided with slots 2 at each end, said plate being rebent to bring the eyes 2' together, as shown in Figs. and 4, the rebent portion constituting a cylindrical eye 3 the width of the link. The next succeeding link is'passed in its flat form, in the shape shown in Fig. 2, through the eyes 2' of the preceding link and then rebent as just described in connection with the preceding link, so that the bars 4 of the preceding link are inclosed within the eye 3 of the succeeding link, thus constituting a hinged joint between the respective links throughout the length of the chain.

5 is a division corner plate there being two of these plates, one connecting the division straps A, the other the division straps- B' on the top of the trunk. This division plate, as will be seen from Fig. 9, is a right angle plate, each arm. of which is provided with an eye 6 and a bar 7. One arm of the plate 5 is provided with an elongated slot 8. The first link 1 of the strap or binder is passed through the eye 6 and then rebentto inclose the bar 7, to form av hinged joint between the plate and the link as just described in connection with two links, thus the straps of the divisions A. and B are joined together by means of the connecting. members.

10 is the bottom division plate which is provided with four arms 11, 12', 13 and 14. The arm 13 is provided with an elongated slot 15 at its end and a bar 16, while the arms 11, 12 and 14 are rebent as at 17 and provided with a cylindrical eve 18 extending the width of the arm. In Fig. 5 the arm 14; is

4 shown flat; that is to say not rebent.

The arms 11 and 12 of the division bottom plate 10 are passed through the eyes of the last link at the lower ends of the division straps A and B, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, while the arm 14 is passed through the eye of the lowermost links of the front straps of the division C. The two bottom division plates are connected through a link strap 19 by reason of the fact that the end links of the chain or strap 19 are passed through the eyes 15', as shown in Fig. 1.

20 is a name plate having straps 21 extending from each end which are adapted to pass through the eyes of the link 1, as

shown in Fig. 1. These straps 21 are rebent to form cylindrical eyes 22 after the manner that the eyes are formed in the links of the chain or strap.

23 are loops secured to the body of the trunk below the line of the trunk top by means of which the binder or strap is secured permanently to the body of the trunk. These loops 23 may be of any approved construction.

24 is a toggle plate secured to the uppermost link of each front chain of the division C, as shown in Fig. 15. The upper end of the toggle plate is provided with an eye 26 in which one end of the toggle lever 27 is secured, a portion of the toggle lever 27 being deflected upwardly as at 28. In assembly, the toggle lever 27 is passed through the elongated slot 8 of the division corner plate 5 and pulled forwardly and downwardly, thus drawing the toggle plate 24: under the division corner plate 5, as shown in Fig. 10, the deflected portion 28 of the toggle lever 27 providing a clearance for the plate 5. The toggle plate 24 is provided with a loop or staple 29 adapted to project through the elongated slot 30 in the toggle lever 27, as clearly shown in Fig. 14:.

31 is a lock of any approved construction provided with an arm 32 having an eye through which one of the links 1 pass, as clearly shown in Fig. 15, whereby the lock is permanently secured to the front chains of the division C.

From the above it will be seen that I have provided a simple but effective and cheap metal binder for a trunk to firmly hold the trunk together irrespective of the trunk-lock and hinges.

I have described how the divisions A and B are connected to the division C, and from this description it will be readily understood that to remove the strap or binder for the purpose of opening the trunk, it is only necessary to unlock the lock, swing it back from the staple 29, whereupon the toggle lever 27 is free to be pulled upward and when it is in proper position, the division corner plates 5 can be readily slipped from engagement with the lever 27 so that the divisions A and B may be thrown back, while the division 0 may be thrown forward and permitted to fold down below the division line between the trunk body and its top, thus leaving the top free to be opened.

The toggle plate 24 is provided with an elongated slot 25 into which the end link of the name plate chain or strap is secured.

As will be readily understood, many changes may be made in the details of construction of my invention without departing from the scope of my claims.

I claim 1. In a trunk binder locking means comprising a plate having eyes at each end one of said eyes being engaged by the binder, a

toggle lever having a hinged connection,

with the other eye of said plate, said lever having an elongated slot, a loop secured to said plate, and a lock secured to the binder and constructed to swing over the lever and engage said loop.

2. In a trunk binder, the combination with two binding members, and a division corner plate consisting of two arms at right angles to each other, each terminating in an eye in which the binders are secured, one of said arms having an elongated slot intermediate its ends of a toggle plate secured at one end to another binder, a toggle lever hinged to one end of said plate and constructed to pass through the said slot in the arm of the division corner plate, said lever having an elongated slot, a loop on said plate constructed to pass through said slot, and a lock hinged to the same binder with the toggle plate and constructed to engage said loop.

The foregoing specification signed at Tonopah, Nevada, this 20th day of January, 1912.

l/VILLIAM IVY BRAY.

Tn presence of two witnesses:

PERCY SCOTT BooTH, SIDNEY ROBERTS MOON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

